


You Are The One And Only

by CallMeHopeless



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Cute, Fluffy, Getting Together, M/M, loads of internal monologues by Len
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2017-09-28
Packaged: 2018-12-23 08:22:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11985957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallMeHopeless/pseuds/CallMeHopeless
Summary: Five times Len gets called 'Lenny' and hates it. One time he actually kind of likes it.Warning: Leonard Snart is in serious danger. He might need a bite guard.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Passion_flower](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Passion_flower/gifts).



> Dear Passion_flower,  
> thank you for your wonderful prompts! I love writing this, I hope you enjoy reading it.  
> \----------  
> Also thank you to my favourite bear for being support. I'll always be support for you, too.

Len grits his teeth. He absolutely fucking hates being called ‘Lenny’ and he has no idea, why his sister insists on doing it.

Lisa sits between two very large, bald young men who are laughing about her story as her eyes twinkle with mischief.

“And then, the guy walked up to Lenny and said”, she deepens her voice and has to laugh about how weird it sounds before she continues, “’Why hello there, do you come here often?’”, she snickers. That is just what Len needed. His sister telling the one story he where he was left speechless. It wasn’t his fault that it had taken him completely by surprise. While he knew he wasn’t exactly horrible looking, he never would have guessed that someone as flamboyantly gay as that man had been would actually find _him_ interesting. He misses Lisa telling the rest of the story and only gets ripped from his thoughts when he hears her high shrill laugh. One of the guys in front of him fixes him with an amused look. “So, Snart? Did you have a bit of fun with the pansy boy?”

Len takes a large gulp from his beer. “There is nothing wrong with being gay, you know.”

He has absolutely no idea why he said yes when Lisa simply showed up in front of his apartment, demanding he joins her at _Saints and Sinners_. He didn’t want to. He was comfortable all by himself, watching a detective series on Netflix in his most comfortable shirt and sweats. He had been just about to get up and make himself a chai latte. Absolutely no problem. But she had said that he couldn’t spend his Saturday evening on the couch like an _old man_ and finally, she made him get dressed before driving to their bar of choice on their motorbikes. He now regrets having given her a key to his apartment.

“No, of course not,” says Lisa solemnly. “Being gay is fine, the make-up wearing guy who came up to you thinking you would be into his net shirt and tight golden pants was the funny part.”

The guy who had remained silent up until now speaks up: “What were you doing at a gay club in the first place?” he asks. Len knows that those guys are friends of Lisa’s but he had never had the desire to learn their names. There were more important things to know in life. For example how many seconds it takes to bag a million dollars and which one is the quickest route back out of the bank. How Barry Allen looks when he is exasperated and flushed from the cold and how his name sounds from Barry's lips… “Snart”. Lovely.

He snaps out of it and tunes back in to Lisa telling the story of how they were trying to recruit a meta for the Rogues at the club. Rumor has it that he is able to control thoughts, which would be an important asset for Len's crew. And word on the street said that he frequents the club they were in. Unfortunately, they did not meet the guy. At least Lisa had an amusing evening.

“Lenny didn’t want to go but I thought it would be fun,” he grits his teeth again and then notices her looking at him.

“Oh don’t be like that. It’s a nickname, a term of endearment, just let me have that.” She rolls her eyes pointedly at him.

“I didn’t say anything, did I?” mumbles Len before taking another large gulp. He would need a refill soon, he thinks.

“No,” his sister studies him, “but you are very easy to read. Your jaw gets all tight and you look at the nearest object trying to figure out the best way to destroy it completely.”

“S not true,” Len tries to defend himself. Figures that the guys he didn’t bother learning the names of, now stab him in the back.

“It kind of is,” the one on Lisa’s left says. “Every time she calls you that, you look positively murderous.” He chuckles.

The other guy just nods solemnly and Len stands up.

“Refill. Anyone want anything?”

He doesn’t wait for an answer and goes straight to the bar, needing something stronger than stale beer.

“Whiskey, neat,” he says to the bartender and leans against the comforting wooden bar. He does get the concept of nicknames. That is what ‘Len’ is for. He also gets the endearment, that is also what ‘Len’ is for. He nods. Decides that he is right. Len sounds nice. Everyone who does not want to give him an endearing nickname can call him Snart. Or Leonard. Or Captain Cold. He finds that he is quite fond of the name Cisco Ramon gave him. Lisa is so enamored with him anyway, she could do them both a favor and just use the name her crush made up. It would be so much better than Lenny. He grits his teeth again. He stops. Tries to relax his jaw. Lisa is right. He does do that a lot.

He downs the liquor and walks back to the booth, determined to let her in on his thought process. He then sees something he really wishes he didn’t. The guy on the right kisses his sister's neck while the other one stares at the bottom of his glass, looking uncomfortable.

Len thinks he’s going to be sick. A few weeks prior, he would have walked up to the guy and hit him so hard that he would think twice about ever looking at Lisa again. But he had had a big fight with his sister about his 'overprotective brotherness'. Or so she called it. It was after Lisa had told Len about the kiss between her and Cisco. Which Len didn't like. Though he isn't even sure anymore why he had been so against it. Cisco is an okay guy and Len kind of likes him. Not that he would ever say that out loud. He had promised to back off. There it is again, the teeth gritting. He really ought to stop doing that or he will have to wear a bite guard and he can’t have that. People would laugh at him. He wouldn’t be able to look as cool while stealing a diamond and he absolutely refuses to think of what Barry would have to say about it.

No. No bite guard. He walks out of the pub and sends a text to his sister.

_Sorry, not in the mood for watching one of your minions slobber all over you. See you at the meeting tomorrow._

Yes, meeting. Important. He swings himself onto his bike and turns it on. Finally there is a new heist to plan, seconds to count, things and people to ice. Although, maybe not people. He hates the look on Barry’s face when he does that. That settles it. Only things are getting iced. He nods to himself while driving slowly towards his apartment.

He really should stop thinking too much. How did he get into thinking again? Oh yes, he shudders. Lenny. He will have words with his sister at the meeting. She at least has to leave him alone with strangers in the room. Doesn't matter if he should know their names or not. He has a reputation to uphold after all. Lenny. He shakes his head slightly. No, that nickname simply wouldn’t do.  


	2. Chapter 2

“How about we call him… _bear claw_?” Cisco looks excitedly around him. Len only looks at Barry. He scrunches up his nose.

“Bear Claw?” Barry asks finally.

Cisco nods and starts to explain but Len doesn’t listen. He stopped listening the moment Barry scrunched his nose up. Could he be any more adorable? Barry is wearing one of those large STAR labs sweatshirts Len loves on him. Everytime he sees him in one, his heart makes a little flutter. Let's face it. Len loves Barry in anything. But the sweater was just so big and made Barry look so cute. Like a baby animal Len wants to protect. 

He only snaps out of his thoughts, when he notices Barry’s eyes landing on him. Then he notices that everyone’s eyes are on him.

“What?” he asks, trying not to stammer. It wouldn’t do his image any good if he did, so he just hopes that it came out in that deep lazy drawl he usually puts on.

“Cisco was asking for your opinion, Lenny,” Mick grunts while eating one of the cookies Iris had brought by earlier.

Len freezes. There it is again. Without really thinking about it, he grits his teeth. He doesn’t answer. Hopes that Barry didn’t hear it – that noone heard it, really.

“Mick,” he says. This time it is deep. Very deep. And slow. And he tries to make it sound dangerous. Mick stops eating, which tells him that he accomplished at least that.

“Er, sorry, _Len_ ,” Mick replies pointedly and looks around the room. “ _Len_ , what do you think about the _Bear Claw_?”

Len grits his teeth again. If Mick is trying to be subtle, he completely sucks at it. Not that that is something Len doesn't know.

So Len just shrugs.

“I don’t care. But it suits him.”

He remembers the meta. Well he remembers how Barry looked fighting him. He is always ecstatic when Barry asks for his help. What he does not like though, is Barry getting hurt. It was a close call this time. He shakes himself slightly. What was he thinking about again? Ah, yes. He was trying to remember the meta. So, there. He was big, he has to give Cisco that. But as for his powers? Len finally looks at Cisco and shrugs.

“Why a bear?”

Cisco splutters. Nobody ever asks _why_.

“Cause of his nails, Lenny,” Mick comments while building a tower out of cookies, mind seemingly absent.

Slowly, Len’s teeth start to hurt. Slowly, the pain even crawls into his head. He rubs at his temple and tries to ignore the comment.

It doesn’t work.

He snaps.

“Mick, how many fucking times do I have to tell you to call me anything but that?”

Silence. Everyone stares at him, he can feel it. He is staring at the ceiling in absolute exasperation.

“Sooo,” Cisco starts, “Rosalinde, then?”

Everyone laughs. Especially Barry. Len feels a blush creeping up his neck. He needs to get out of there.

“Are we having drinks, or not?” he finally asks, looking at Barry, Cisco and Mick in turn.

Barry shrugs.

“Sure, celebrate a job well done,” he walks past Len and pats him on the shoulder. Instantly, the blush is back. Len clears his throat. Suddenly it’s very dry and drinks sound like the best idea he’s ever had. His head still hurts and his teeth are still incredibly tight together. If he could just relax his jaw. His eyes land on Mick who has the audacity to smile at him.

He can hear Barry and Cisco walking towards the exit and he turns to his friend and business partner.

“Never,” he pauses for emphasis, “call me that again. You got that?”

Mick nods solemnly.

He sees the pained look on his friend’s face.

“You got it, boss.”

Len nods in turn.

“Let’s go, then.”

He massages his jaw as best has he can, willing it to relax.

It would be much easier if he was more relaxed.

He was anything but.

He didn’t think there was anything more mortifying than being called by the stupid nickname his sister had given him as a kid in front of Barry.

For several reasons.

Len tried to think of any reason that would make him less pathetic.

A reason is still a reason and Len does not want his crush to think of him as a “Lenny”.

He wants him to think of him as Len. Butch. Sexy. Intelligent. Len nods to himself and ignores Mick’s huff.

Mick always tells him that he talks way too much to himself inside of his head. Apparently, it sometimes was obvious to the people around him. Len cannot really help it. Who else should he talk to? About feelings, anyway. Mick would burn down Barry’s house in a second while screaming “Go out with my friend you moron” and Len didn’t want that.

Lisa would try to get close to Barry. Take him away from him. He is already annoyed at how often she just pets Barry’s head like an old Lady.

He wanted to do that. In more of a caring-boyfriend than an old-lady way, mind.

When they walk outside, it is colder than Len thought. Barry has his sweatshirt wrapped around himself and grins at them as they walk out the door.

“So, race you there?”

He looks at Len, his eyes sparkling.

Len snorts.

Very elegant, Leonard, very elegant.

“Sure, scarlet,” he mutters and then adds a bit louder:

“give everyone a fair chance, why don’t you?”

Barry grins again.

“Alright then, lets say normal circumstances, no powers, looser buys the first round?”

Now Mick’s eyes are sparkling.

“You got it, kid!”

“Why don’t you go with Cisco,” Barry mumbles thoughtfully.

“And I go with Len here. Just to make sure that you guys don’t cheat.”

Mick wants to protest but Len beats him to it by asking:

“Who says we're gonna cheat? Because we're the criminals? Like do-gooders like yourself don't do it once in a while.”

He raises one eyebrow. Hopes that he looks nonchalant, while his insides do a little victory dance.

Now it’s Cisco who laughs loudly.

“Hardly. Good idea though. Looser buys food, too?”

Barry nods, looking at Len.

Cisco tells Mick to follow him to the car and then Len is alone with Barry.

“You here on your motorbike?” Barry asks.

Len nods. He doesn’t trust himself to speak. Driving around on his motorbike, feeling that sense of freedom he always gets driving around, while Barry is hanging on to him?

Is it Christmas already?

They walk to his bike in silence and Len hands Barry his parka.

Barry looks at it slightly confused.

“Er...”

Len sighs, trying to sound bossy, feeling very insecure. Like Barry rejecting his parka would hurt him right where it hurts most – his feelings.

“Just wear it. You’re gonna freeze if you just wear that sweatshirt.”

Slowly, Barry takes the parka and puts it on.

Oh.

Dear.

God.

Why does Barry look so good in this?

Len thinks it might be his new favorite thing. He might even like it more than the STAR labs sweater.

He opens up the seat on his bike and reveals two helmets and his leather jacket which he shrugs on.

He gives one of the helmets to Barry and only barely refrains from putting it onto the Flash's head himself. He sits down on his bike and feels Barry sliding on right behind him, holding out his arms awkwardly.

“You’re gonna want to hang on.” Len simply says and closes his eyes for a moment.

Just long enough to enjoy the feeling of Barry sliding his hands around Len’s waist.

Suddenly, a shrill honk snaps him out of his trance.

The signal that Cisco is ready to go.

With one loud noise of the bike’s motor, they are off.

Len is still not sure about whether this is a good idea.

 


	3. Chapter 3

They might have lost the bet. Len blames Barry. Not himself, never himself. As if he was to blame that Barry held on to him very tightly. In his parka. No, it is definitely not Len's fault that he drove a little slower to keep feeling those arms around his waist a while longer. Not at all. 

Cisco and Mick are smug when they finally arrive at the entrance to the bar the STAR labs crew frequents.

The scientist mock-checks his watch and grins from ear to ear.

“So, we have been here ages,” he says.

Barry grins as well and Len cannot find it in himself to be annoyed. It's not as if he didn't have the money to buy drinks and dinner for the other two.

He would worry more, if he would have to pay for Barry – that boy could eat!

Len's face softens as he thinks about it. If Barry would let him pay for his food, Len would gladly do so.

He shakes his head as he follows the rest of the group to their table. Barry slides into the booth smoothly and flashes Len a toothy grin while patting the empty space next to him. He does not need to be told twice before he slides in right next to Barry.

The booth is not the largest, so the four of them are pretty much pressed together. Len does not complain. At all. He feels fine. Great even. Better than he has in weeks, months!

He looks at Barry dreamily until suddenly the boy's eyes begin to sparkle and a small smile appears on his face.

“Lydia!” he exclaims, jumping up and hugging the waitress who appeared at their table.

“Barry,” she laughs.

Len looks back and forth between the two and he feels a headache coming on. Which might be because he is gritting his teeth again.

Who is that? He asks himself and studies her.

She seems young, in her early twenties. She laughs kindheartedly and her friendly face lights up while doing so. Len detests her.

“What can I get you guys?” she asks, pulling a small notepad out of her apron and smiling at Len.

He does not smile back.

“Beer,” he says, trying to look away.

“I'll have the same, Lydia, thanks,” Barry says before she turns to Mick and Cisco.

When she is gone, Cisco giggles.

“You're not a fan of hers then?” he asks, looking at Len, who just grunts.

“No, she seems nice,” he quickly says and glances nervously at Barry. He does not want to be the guy who insults his friends after all.

But Barry just nods.

“She is the nicest. We went to school together and we sometimes walk her dog. She has the cutest little dog,” he rambles on and continues to describe Lydia's dog 'Didi'.

Len shakes his head. The headache is getting worse and worse. He really should relax his jaw.

“Sweetie, you'll need a bite guard if you keep squishing them together like that.”

Lydia has appeared at the table again and places the beer in front of Len.

She looks at him pointedly and raises one eyebrow.  
“It's not only bad for your nerves but you'll mess up your teeth if you keep doing it.”

Len just blinks at her.

Did she just?

She stares back at him, challenging.

“I, uh, you're probably right,” Len stammers. He does not know what to do. Why does he not know what to do? Yes, he thinks, because she is commenting on something he didn't think anyone had noticed. Why did she notice?

“He does it all the time,” Barry chimes in, poking one finger against Len's jaw.

“It's really bad for your dental enamel, you know.”

Len turns his head and stares at Barry.

“What?”

He shakes his head, thinking better of it and then starts again:

“Never mind, how did you even...”

Barry pokes Len's jaw again.

“Because your cheekbone is really really visible when you grit your teeth. Which you do a lot.”

He nods and grins and looks at Lydia.

“I was always too afraid to call him out on it,” he grins.

Lydia laughs.

“'S what I'm here for, Bar!”

Bar. Only Barry's family calls him that.

Len feels his jaw tightening again.

Lydia leaves and Len slowly relaxes.

He looks at Mick, who just stares back with a slightly pitying expression on his face.

His gaze wanders to Cisco, who looks at him very similarly.

“Aw Lenny,” Cisco mutters and freezes. He slowly looks up.

Did he just?

Len looks at Mick again who now grins bemusedly.

“What did you say?” Len asks. This time he can almost hear his teeth sliding against each other violently.

“He called you Lenny,” Barry observes and stares at his friend in awe.

“I heard it, too!” Mick almost shouts.

“Oh boy, no, no I didn't!” Cisco tries.

Len is at a loss. He can't really scold Cisco for it because he is Barry's friend and he can't be mean to Barry's friend or Barry will not be nice to him anymore, right?

But he cannot say nothing either because... because.

“I'll let this one slide,” he says and leans back, head resting against the wall behind him. “Just because I think that Lisa used it around you, so she is the villain here. But if you ever call me that again...”

“Yeah, yeah,” Cisco mutters, “you'll ice me.”

Len nods.

Crisis averted.

They continue to eat and drink for a while, calling it a night around 1 am before they get thrown out.

Mick and Len walk to the bike, Cisco to his car and Barry just decides to run home, saying that 'the fresh air will do him good'.

Len and Mick walk in silence. Len drops Mick off and wants to leave, when Mick opens his mouth:

“You have it bad, don't you?” he looks at his friend.

“The kid, I mean.”

Len knows that lying wouldn't make any sense because Mick has known him for too long, so he just nods.

Mick nods back.

“Yeah, he's a good one, don't fuck it up.”

Then he turns and opens the door to his apartment. Len grins. “I'll try my best,” he whispers but there is nobody there to hear him.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Len has a headache. He hasn’t seen the kid for two weeks. Two. Weeks.

He’s sitting in his favorite diner and munches on a mountain of pancakes with syrup (don’t tell anyone, his sweet tooth is his little secret), and thinks about that night at the bar.

He still thinks there was something good between them. His mind very very briefly supplies the word magical but Len is going to stick with good.

He sits in silence and finishes his coffee.

He pays and walks outside before getting his phone out.

Two weeks are unacceptable.

He hears a voice on the other line.

“Mick?” he drawls.

“We’re doing a heist.”

***

Len loves that he can assemble his rogues within 20 minutes with one single phone call to his best friend.

They all stare at him expectantly, standing around the large table in Len's favorite safe house, while Len is trying to come up with a heist for the past 20 minutes.

“So,” he finally says with a sigh.

“Does anyone have anything they want to steal?”

Silence.

Len thinks he could hear a needle drop.

“What?” Hartley speaks up.

“But… you decide and… plan, boss.”

Len nods.

“Usually, yes. But I thought as a team-exercise, it would be...nice... to ask for your input.”

Mick snorts. Loudly. Len shoots him a dark look.

Mick had figured him out within two seconds. “Missing the kid?” was the answer to Len's statement on the phone. 

Damn Mick.

“Well,” Hartley continues and looks at the other Rogues.

“If you want input, there is this painting at the Arts Gallery that I would like to, er, have.”

Len looks at him sternly.

“You want us to steal a painting because you _want_ it?”

Hartley shrugs.

“I think it would look nice in my living room.”

Silence.

Everyone stares at Len again, who finally shrugs.

“Fine.”

He thinks that Hartley’s eyes might pop out if he continues to widen them.

“Really?”

Len shrugs again.

“Yeah.”

The Art Gallery is easy. He knows the blueprints by heart and he would only have to get his hands on the guard’s routine.

“Tomorrow night ok?” he asks Hartley.

Hartley nods, speechless.

“Alright then, who’s in?” Len asks and looks at the rest of the group. Nobody raises their hand. Instead, every single one of them looks confused and a little wary. Finally, Mick sighs and raises his. Shawna follows suit. So does Lisa. In the end, everyone raises their hand but Len only needs five people, so he dismisses everyone else.

When it’s only the six of them in the room, he grins.

“Let’s get started.”

***

It took Len two days to figure out when the guards do their rounds. Mainly because he is too excited about the prospect of seeing Barry soon, so he misses the exact count once or twice (or 10 or 20 times).

But then, they are ready. Len counts the seconds of everyone doing their jobs, trying hard to not think about when Barry will come.

When he finally does, Hartley is about to walk out of the gallery with his painting. Barry stops him. Looks at the painting, then at Hartley, then at Len. He opens his mouth before closing it again. He finally does speak:

“What, you… a painting??”

His eyes dart over to where the current exhibition of diamonds and other valuable artifacts was held.

He points to the exhibition without saying anything else. He looks so confused. Len thinks it's incredibly adorable.

Len shrugs.

“Hartley wanted it.”

Barry’s mouth twitches.

“Right. And Hartley is just going to hang it above his fireplace, is he?” Barry jokes.

“I was thinking my living room, actually. Above the couch.”

Irritated, Barry stares at them one by one.

“What is happening?”

Mick lets out a loud and shrill laugh and Lisa bites her lip to keep her from doing the same. Hartley and Shawna are just confused, and Len? Len is happy.

“Come on Flash. You are being very slow for someone who’s usually so fast.”

He smirks.

Lisa can’t hold it in anymore and laughs hysterically before mumbling:

“Very slow indeed.”

“So you are really stealing a painting for Hartley’s flat? Even though there are freaking crowns and pearls and whathaveyou right over there?”

Everyone nods.

“Okay, while this is really weird, I still can’t let you do it.”

He flashes over to Hartley and takes the painting from him. Hartley falls in the process and when he sits up, holds his ankle. Face scrunched up a bit. Barry puts the painting back on the wall.

Nobody stops him.

Hartley whines.

“Lenny, he took my painting,” he finally says, still sitting on the floor like a small child.

The air in the room seems to get very thick very quickly.

Len closes his eyes, trying not to grit his teeth but to no avail. They just do it.

“Don’t” he bites out, “ever call me that.”

Hartley shrugs.

“Lisa always does it.”

Len breathes in and out deeply. He doesn’t even want to look at Barry right now, he is too embarrassed.

Neither does he want to look at Lisa, he is too mad.

Hartley… He doesn’t even want to think about Hartley.

“C’mon, Len,” Mick finally says and pokes Len in his side.

“Just forget it.”

Len wishes he can. He really does.

Suddenly, someone snickers.

He looks up. Barry.

“Don’t lose your cool now, Snart,” Barry says and grins.

Len is glad that he can see at least that part of Barry’s face underneath that mask.

Len tries everything in his might not to grin back. What is he doing?

“What?”

Barry shrugs again.

“Take it chilly. Just go with the ice-flow. Don’t get your ice cubes in a twist,” he continues.

Len does not know what to say to that. He just stares. Lisa and Mick laugh and Barry shoots them a satisfied grin. Len can see that Shawna and Hartley are somewhat confused but he can’t bring himself to care.

Barry smiles at him blindingly and before Len knows what he’s doing, he smiles back.


	5. Chapter 5

Len is still busy smiling at the Flash, when Shawna suddenly speaks up.

"What the hell is happening?"

Len snaps out of his Barry's-smile-is-so-beautiful stupor and looks at her confusedly. He had forgotten that she is there. He looks back at Barry, who looks anywhere but at him, Hartley who looks as confused as Shawna and Mick and Lisa have trouble hiding their laughter.

He clears his throat.

"Nothing is happening," he tries to convince everyone but as he says it, he knows that he fails.

"Are you two," Shawna points between Len and Barry, "flirting?"

Now both jump to action and Len cries:

"Oh hell no!" while Barry is busy stuttering: "Flirting? Us, hahah, n-no?"

She doesn't seem convinced and still looks at them with shock on her face.

Suddenly, she grins.

"Awww, Lenny has found himself a boytoy," she coos.

"How sweet."

Instantly, Len tenses up.

Have the Rogues no respect for him what so ever?

"Shawna," he bites out.

He loads his ice gun because he is mad. Mad at the universe. Mad at Shawna for getting between him and Barry. Mad at Barry for laughing about the notion of the two of them flirting. Mad at Lisa who is still laughing and again at Shawna for daring to use the nickname he hates.

He loads it up and is ready to shoot her. It's not like she wouldn't get away in time. God how he wants to shoot her. He glares at her and it is obvious that she is taken aback. She stares at him wide eyed and doesn't move.

"Call me that one more time," he warns but then there is a small sound right behind him.

"Snart"

He turns around, still aiming his gun at Shawna.

He looks at the part of Barry's face he can see. The wide eyes, mouth hanging open.

"You don't want to hurt her," he says and Len thinks he doesn't just say it for his benefit but he says it as if Barry is trying to convince himself.

"You don't want to do anything rash," he continues.

Despite himself, Len growls. He can't very well back out now. If the other Rogues found out the he listens to the Flash, he would never live it down. So he keeps his gun in the air. He squints his eyes at Shawna but he knows that he is going to back out soon.

"Do you understand?" he asks her.

She nods.

"Don't call you Le- _that_ , got it..."

He nods and takes his gun down.

"Now get out, all of you," he almost shouts.

Hartley is the first to crawl out. Len thinks he might have hurt himself more than he admits. Then he thinks back to the whining. Okay, maybe he did admit it. He is still the first to leave the room. Shawna is almost as quick, she's just suddenly gone.

Len turns to leave as well but a soft touch on his arm holds him back.

With a grin, Mick and Lisa walk past them before Len dares to turn around to Barry.

"You didn't actually want to hurt her, did you?" he asks softly.

Len hates that look. It's the I-see-good-in-you-look. Barry is in for a huge disappointment.

Len sighs.

"No, of course not."

Barry nods and searches his face.

Len doesn't know if he finds what he is looking for though because when he smiles, he looks sad... or conflicted.

"You know, I still see good in you."

Len rolls his eyes. Because he would never admit that he secretly feels warm and cuddly inside whenever Barry says those words.

"You do that, Flash," he mumbles and tries to turn around. Tries to leave. He hates that his body never wants to go anywhere when Barry is around.

"Len?"

He turns back around.

"I'll be seeing you," Barry says lightly before flashing off.

And then it's just Len.

He breathes in deeply and shakes his head. He doesn't know what the hell his life has become and he really doesn't want to think about it.

What he now needs is a long bath and some hot chocolate.

He nods to himself.

Maybe a good book. He has just recently bought the newest Sophia Kinsella novel. He could start that.

Or watch a film, or both.

He just wants to get home, so getting home is what he does.

And if he thinks about Barry's smile and how his eyes crinkle when he laughs, that's nobody's business but his.


	6. Chapter 6

Len would never admit it but he likes being at STAR labs.

He loves being around Barry - obviously.

He has come to enjoy Cisco's humor and actually revels in having discussions with Caitlin.

So of course he is beyond excited whenever they call him for back up. And that's not just because he feels needed by Barry. Okay, maybe a little.

But really, he likes making plans with them. Likes showing off how fast he can count or that he does know what they are talking about when they think he doesn't.

He's always a little sad, when it's over and for a week or so after, he doesn't quite know what to do with himself. So he usually plans a heist. Not that they always go through with it but he likes the planning part. And the thinking about it part. And the resolving problems part.

When the Team Flash and him return back to STAR labs after having successfully captured a meta who terrorized people on the street because he would turn into a big ass spider (we're talking human sized here) and just tie everyone up, Len can't help but feel a bit restless. A bit sad.

He looks over at Barry and doesn't know when he will see the other again.

Barry has taken off his mask and runs his hand through his hair while he laughs at something Caitlin says.

"Dude," Cisco stands behind him.

"If you pine any more, I am in danger of being in serious pain."

Len turns around and looks at Cisco with shock on his face.

He had hoped he wasn't that obvious. At least not to people who weren't his best friend and sister.

He sighs.

"Sorry, I'll cut it out."

Cisco laughs.

"No, please don't."

With that he walks away and Len is left behind starting at the back of the scientists head.

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

Len turns back around and tries actively not to look at Barry.

This is getting out of hand.

He should stay away from anything... Barry.

He knows that this cannot and will not end well for him so he should just... go on holiday.

That's it! He could go on holiday!

Where to though?

He should go to Europe.

Maybe Italy?

He pictures himself lying on the beach, cocktail for one in hand, tanning.

He shakes his head. Not quite his scene.

Spain? Same problem.

Germany? He hears Munich is beautiful. Though what would he do there? What does Germany even have to offer except for the Octoberfest and their car industry?

Maybe Paris, he thinks. France.

He shakes his head again.

He can't go to the city of love to overcome his crush, that's just stupid.

Man, why does this have to be so difficult.

He is snapped out of his thoughts by Caitlin, who is standing in front of him, eyebrows raised looking suddenly... worried?

"You okay?"

He nods quickly.

Can't very well let her in on her train of thought now can he?

"Sure, you?" he asks just to be polite. And maybe also to get her to talk about herself instead of him.

She smiles politely at him but doesn't answer.

Barry comes back into the room and looks at the two of them.

"You okay?"

Caitlin laughs.

"That was what I was just asking him," she indicates Len.

"Oh," she exclaims, looking at him again, "how are your teeth?"

Len looks at her confused.

"My...teeth?"

She nods enthusiastically.

"Barry says you keep gritting your teeth and he wants me to tell you that's very bad indeed."

Len can't help but laugh.

"Worried, are you?"

He grins at Barry so colors a bit.

"You do it an awful lot."

Len shrugs.

Barry is worried about him.

He's on top of the world.

He barely notices that Cisco comes back in and asks Caitlin to join him for "very important, er, stuff", because he's too busy smiling at the desk in front of him. He busies himself with looking up random facts about himself on Cisco's computer because he doesn't want to leave yet. There is nothing new there, which means the police don't suspect him on anything he has done lately. It's a good cover, the checking. It's not like he can do it from home. Or anywhere, really.

"Thank you for your help," Barry says into the silence and Len slowly looks up.

"Anything to help the guy who has a coffee named after him."

Barry nods but looks nervous.

"Hey, Lenny?"

"hm?"

Len doesn't look up and keeps typing random words into a search engine.

Silence.

He looks up after all.

"Yeah?"

Barry stares at him wide-eyed.

"Did you hear what I just said?" he asks.

Len thinks about it.

"Did you want to ask something?"

Barry keeps looking at him while slowly moving forward toward Len.

"We are going to get pizza later, do you want to come along, Lenny?"

Now Len heard it.

His jaw stays completely at ease. Instead of the usual turmoil in his stomach, he feels a bunch of butterflies flapping about. All warm and sweet.

A small smile is breaking out on his face as he looks up. Barry stares back at him, completely awestruck.

"That would be nice," Len finally answers.

"D-Do you not want to threaten me or something?"

Len shakes his head.

"Did you even hear me?"

Len nods.

Silence.

A Pause.

Len feels like he should look somewhere else, anywhere else.

He looks at his watch. Tries to count the seconds of the pause.

"Lenny?"

He looks back up. Feels that he is wearing his feelings on his sleeve.

Barry seems to be searching something on his face again.

This time though, Len has the feeling that he has found what he was looking for because suddenly there is a hand on his neck and another one on his cheek and then there are lips on his. Kissing him. Slowly. Intimately. Deeply.

And Len revels in it. Closes his eyes. Kisses back and tries to tell Barry everything he wants him to know. That he loves him.

And huh, isn't that a scary thought.

Then he realizes that he does. He loves him.

When they part, they are both slightly flushed and Barry starts to giggle.

"So that's okay then?"

"Huh?" is the best Len can reply.

"The...uh, Lenny calling and the kissing?"

Len closes his eyes for a second.

When he opens them, Barry looks at him with such tenderness that Len can hardly stand it.

He brings himself to nod.

"Yeah its, uh, perfect."

He thinks the smile that breaks out on Barry's face is brighter than the sun. He knows it.

"But you are the only one?"

Barry laughs.

"Who's allowed to kiss you?"

"That too, and the... the... other thing."

"The Lenny?"

Len smiles and his eyes fixate on Barry's lips.

He nods.

"That's the one," he whispers before sliding his hands around Barry's waist and pulling him in for another kiss.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for reading guys <3 thanks for all the love :)


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